This invention relates to a human-activated electrical device for initiating the emptying and rinsing operation of a vacuum sewer toilet system. In this specification, the term "vacuum" means partial vacuum.
The emptying and rinsing operation of a vacuum sewer toilet system is usually controlled pneumatically, that is, by means of the atmospheric pressure and vacuum. In such a system, both the rinse water supply valve, for supplying rinse water to the toilet bowl, and the sewer or discharge valve, connecting the toilet bowl to the vacuum sewer, are operable by means of vacuum to an open position. Preferably, the source of vacuum is the vacuum sewer itself, in which the pressure is only about one half atmospheric pressure, because it is then not necessary to provide a separate vacuum source and moreover the advantage is achieved that neither the emptying of the toilet bowl nor the supply of rinse water to the toilet bowl can be activated if there is not a sufficient vacuum in the vacuum sewer. Such a system also has the advantage that it avoids the use of electrical components in the toilet compartment and thereby avoids dangerous situations due to short circuits that might be caused by possible water leakages. Nevertheless, an electrically operated control system provides several advantages. In particular, an electrically operated control system is versatile and easy to control and usually takes very little space.